The Yankees still intend to make Joba Chamberlain into a starter this season, although no one seems to be sure just when or exactly how that change will happen. That lack of certainty strikes Goose Gossage as a bad idea.

The former Yankee has said since Chamberlain came up last year that the Yankees should keep him in his current relief role, but Gossage is even more concerned about the lack of a clear future for the hard-throwing right-hander.

“You can’t be successful when you’re being jerked around,” Gossage said. “It’s either one or the other. Just leave him alone.”

And the choice, at least to Gossage, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer, is clear.

“I don’t think there’s any question he’s better off in the bullpen,” Gossage said. “How are you going to replace that guy?”

It’s a situation Gossage can relate to well. He faced a similar dilemma as a young pitcher, when he had to enter the starting rotation with the White Sox one season after saving 26 games for them.

“I won the Fireman of the Year in ’75, and in ’76 the White Sox asked me to start,” Gossage said. “Well, as a young player, you do whatever they ask you to do, and I’m sure Joba’s the same way.”

Gossage wound up going 9-17 that year, was traded to the Pirates, and was a reliever the rest of his career. He said that’s what he thinks will happen to Chamberlain, despite talk to the contrary.

“I think they know the value of him where he is,” Gossage said. “That’s been their Achilles heel for a long time. When you start going back and forth, that’s when trouble starts. I can’t imagine them taking him out of the bullpen. His whole makeup suits that position well.”

But Gossage isn’t a fan of Chamberlain’s theatrics on the mound after some strikeouts.

“You don’t want to take away his enthusiasm, but I held it pretty close to the vest,” Gossage said. “I never wanted to show up anybody. I’m sure he doesn’t intend to do that, but I’d like to see him tone it down a bit. I’d like to see him more like Mariano (Rivera), since he already could be his heir apparent.”

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Gossage was on his way to visit former teammate Graig Nettles, whom he said had surgery to remove prostate cancer on Tuesday. “His family said it went well,” said Gossage, who was at the Hotel Intercontinental yesterday as Major League Baseball announced the “One-A-Day Men’s MLB Prostate Cancer Challenge.” The partnership will donate $10 to the Prostate Cancer Foundation for every strikeout in the regular season.